


Tough Sell

by swiftishere



Series: MSA One-Shots [31]
Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: 'lewis knows arthur was possessed' au, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, fix-it? fluff? idk what tags to use, ok this is actually lewvithur but vivi's involvement doesn't come up, so all you have is word of god on that one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29235942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swiftishere/pseuds/swiftishere
Summary: Lewis knows his boyfriend was possessed when he killed him, and when he sees him in the mansion, his only reaction is relief that he's okay. Arthur's just as glad to see him, leading to a sweet reunion.When she finds them, Vivi has some questions about the whole thing.
Relationships: Arthur/Lewis (Mystery Skulls Animated)
Series: MSA One-Shots [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1440190
Comments: 24
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

Someone’s found their way to his crypt again. Lewis would like nothing more than to stay in his coffin and ignore them, but he knows the fastest way to make them leave is to scare them off, so he wills the lid to slide open and steps out.

When he sees who’s in front of him, he stops, stunned. This... he was expecting some random stranger, not...

“...Lewis?” Arthur’s voice is hesitant, as though he can’t believe it himself. His expression is almost _awed_ , in wonder at the mere sight of his face. He takes a step forward, and instinctively Lewis floats back a bit, staring at him.

“ _Arthur_ ,” Lewis says after a moment, echoing his own name. “It’s... you. It’s really _you?”_

“...yeah. Who- who else would it- would it be?” He takes another small step forward, and this time Lewis allows it. There’s no hint of green in his face, no darkness to the edges of his eyes – no more so than the usual lack-of-sleep shadows, anyway. His own magic reaches out and brushes against his soul, and it’s alone, with no unnatural force hanging on. One of his hands is metal – and he files that under _things to ask about later_ – but other than that, he’s unharmed.

Lewis drifts forward. He sets one hand on his shoulder and the other on his cheek, gently, as though he’ll disappear if he isn’t careful. “I... you have _no idea_ how happy I am to see you.” He knows Arthur doesn’t grasp the full meaning of that – _you, not that_ ** _thing_** _, you alone and safe and_ ** _free_**.

“I think th-that’s my line. Where the- the hell have you _been?”_ Arthur’s voice is light, almost joking, but there are tears in his eyes.

Lewis doesn’t answer the question. He doesn’t need to. Instead he just pulls Arthur into a kiss, finally committing to the hesitant embrace. It’s warm and soft and _perfect_ , and...

...and it doesn’t last _nearly_ long enough before it’s interrupted.

“Um, what the _fuck?”_

They break apart and look up to see Vivi standing in the hallway leading out, looking completely baffled. Next to her is Mystery, who takes off running as soon as Arthur steps slightly away, leaping into Lewis’s arms.

“Ow- _haha_ , hello, good to see you too.” He scratches behind his ears, dodging the excited doggy kisses. Arthur and Vivi keep talking, voices indistinct behind the yapping and laughter.

“...ghost pheromones?”

“ _No!”_ Arthur looks between Vivi and the ghost, obviously torn. “It’s... uh, _shit_ , this is gonna be...”

“Gonna be _what?_ Did I miss a memo? You have a ghost boyfriend now?”

“He’s, um- okay, Vi, listen, th-this- this isn’t gonna make much, much sense but- _shit_ , no, that’s not gonna work- he’s, uh-”

Lewis finally pulls Mystery away with a laugh of, “Okay, okay, let me talk to the other two for a _little_ bit!” The dog allows himself to be set down, though his tail keeps wagging, and he turns his attention to Vivi.

“Uh, hello.” She spreads her hands. “Who the hell are you?”

He’s taken aback at that. He knows for a _fact_ his face hasn’t changed, and even if it has, between context clues and general body shape, she should be able to put things together on her own. “It’s... me? Lewis?”

“No, _wait-”_ Arthur tries to start, but he’s a moment too late. Vivi gasps, and then her eyes go pink and crack with static, and the ghost’s burst into sympathetic flame.

Mystery whines, looking between them.


	2. Chapter 2

Lewis sits with Arthur on the couch. They’ve talked in circles with Vivi long enough, and now he’s starting to feel tired, from a conversation he doesn’t remember most of. 

Arthur leans back and looks up at him, the motion getting his attention. 

“So, I also have some questions…” 

Lewis laughs uncertainly, bracing for the inevitable _where have you been? Why didn’t you come home right away?_

“Like…” Arthur puts a hand on his shoulder, tracing the seam of his suit. “When the fuck did you- d-did you _die?_ And why w- why were you so _surprised_ about s-s-seeing me?” 

If Lewis had breath, it’d be stolen away at that. He doesn’t _remember?_

The memory flashes in his head again. Terror rises in his chest just thinking about it, and he isn’t sure he can get all the way through explaining without spiraling into panic. Just remembering his _face_ as he approached, slowly, jerkily, _fighting himself_ every step of the way… he can’t… 

But Arthur deserves the truth. 

But… he isn’t going to like it. 

“Lewis?” Arthur’s voice pulls him back to reality. 

He stares at him for a moment, thinking. “How much… what do you remember from the cave?” 

He sighs and looks away. “Uh… not- not much? I… barely remem- remember going in. We pulled up and it’s all j-just… a- a blur.” He tugs at his sleeve, gaze falling on the floor. “I remember… a cr-cross- crossroads, and th-then… teeth? S-something… something… _sharp_. Then that’s… it. Nex- next th-thing I… I woke up in the hospital, you were _gone_ , and Vi… Vivi didn’t…” he stifles a sob with his hand, inhaling sharply. 

_Teeth_ … the spikes? But he doesn’t remember Lewis falling… How’d he end up in the _hospital?_

An image appears unbidden in his mind, of that _monster_ sinking those wicked claws into Arthur’s own shoulder and forcing him to _pull,_ tearing the muscle and finding the bone _-_ He shudders, feeling suddenly sick. 

“Hey,” Arthur says, getting his attention back again. His expression is still so… innocently concerned. But if he knew what actually happened – and then other people would have _questions_ , and he’d have to _repeat it_ , and… he shies away from the thought instinctively, and searches for something else to say. 

“There was a monster… in the cave. It stole your face, but… it wasn’t very good at pretending to be you. It snuck up on me, and… before I realized what was going on, it… pushed me over a ledge. Into spikes.” He swallows, focusing on his hands. “I was afraid… you were that _thing_ , at first. But.then I realized you weren’t.” 

It’s not the truth, but it’s close enough. And nobody else knows what _actually_ happened. Right?


End file.
